Removal of superficial liquid from cinematographic films



May 6. 1924.

' D. F. COMSTOCK REMOVAL OF SUPERFICIAL LIQUID FROM CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed Sept. 1. 1921 Patented my 6, 1924.

UNITED. STATES 1,493,246 PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL I. COMSTOCK, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO TECHNICOLOR MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION, OF BOSTON,

- MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

REMOVAL OF SUPERFICIAL LIQUID FROM CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS.

Application filed September 1, 1921. Serial No. 497,703.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL F. COMSTOCK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Removal of Superficial Liquid from Cinematographic Films, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to the removal of superficial liquid from one side of a film, which is wet only upon one side, but in certain aspects the invention is capable of use in removing superficial liquid from films which have been wet upon both sides.

In preparing color pictures, particularly motion pictures, it is sometimes desirable to apply a liquid to one side of the film without wetting the opposite side. For example, in making a cinematographic film having a series of pictures on one side representing one color aspect of a scene and having a complemental series of pictures on the other side representing another color aspect, it is essential, in staining the series of images different colors respectively, that each dye be wholly confined to one side. The best way of applying dye (or other liquid) to one side of a film at a time, so far as I am aware, is to'fioat the film first on one dye and then, with the film turned over, on the other dye, as disclosed in application Ser. No. 497,590, filed on even date herewith.

When a cinematographic film is treated as aforesaid considerable liquid adheres to the wet side and capillary pellicles of the liquid bridge the sprocket holes as the film leaves the surface of the liquid. These capillary pellicles burst soon after the film leaves the surface of the liquid and in bursting they frequently spatter liquid over the dry side of the film, thereby seriously damaging the film. WVhen the liquid'comprises a dye it is essential to remove the excess dye superficially adhering to the surface to prevent it from drying on the film.

Objects ofthe present invention are to remove all superficial liquid from the treated side of a film, to remove this liquid without forcing it upon the opposite or untreated side of the film, to break the capillary pellicles of liquid over the sprocket holes before they burst, to intercept the spatter of liquid resulting therefrom and prevent itscontact with the adjoining portions of the film, and in general to avoid spotted, blotched, streaked or otherwise imperfect films resulting from an imperfect removal of surface liquid.

The invention involves the step, in the liquid treatment of cinematographic films wherein capillary pellicles of liquid bridge the sprocket holes, of artificially breaking the pellicles, as by an air current or by suction, before they burst. It further involves the step of restraining the liquid of the pellicles from spattering on at least one side of the film when they burst and of simultaneously carrying the'liquid of the pellicles away from the film.

The invention comprises means for breaking the filni of liquid over the sprocket holes of a cinematographic film emerging from a liquid treatment and for removing the superficial liquid therefrom. It further comprises means for preventing the splash of the liquid over the adjoining portions of the film. It further comprises means for rolling back the'superfioial liquid from the treated face of the film. More particularly it comprises suction means disposed on one side of the film in line with the sprocket holes for breaking the films of liquid thereacross, together with surfaces or walls for intercepting the resulting spatter of liquid and preventing its contact with the adjoining portions of the film, and a blower for sweeping the opposite face of the film clear of surface liquid.

It has been found that when the film of liquid over the sprocket holes has first been broken or removed as by suction, the sur face liquid can then be rolled back as by a jet of air, and the wave or roll of liquid will .not be forced through the sprocket holes but will blow around them.

As an illustration of the invention one concrete embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevational View;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 22 of Fig. 3; and

-Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fi 2.

The particular em% odiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration 1.2 projecting inwardly at the lower part of the recess to form supports'for the edges of the film. Extending longitudinally of the block and directly above the sprocket holes in the film are elongate slots 13 of the shape and extent indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, the slots having straightside walls 14 and being connected by a bore 15. Threaded into the top of the block 4 y and connected with the transverse bore 15 is a pipe connection 16 to which is attached a flexible tube 17 extending to an exhaust pump or other suction means, not *shown. Disposed below the block 4 and transversely thereof is a nozzle 18 having an elongate slotted opening 19 disposed at'an angle of approximately, 45 toward the film A as it issues from the treatment trough 11. The nozzle is suitably supported upon the block 4 by brackets 20 and a flexible tube 21 leads from the nozzle 18 to any suitable source of compressed air, not shown. Mounted upon the shafts 7 and 8 between the collars 6 of brackets 5 are guide rollers 22 and 23 for properly directing the film through the guideway 12.

The operation of the device is as follows:

.As film A issues from trough 11 in which it has undergone liquid treatment upon its lower side, it is directed by-the guide roll ers 22 and 23 through the guideway .of block 4. As the sprocket holes in the film come under the slots 13, the force of the suction breaks the capillary pellicles of liquid therein and the liquid is drawn up through bore 15, pipe 16 and tube 17 wherebythe liquid is effectively prevented from coming incontact with the upper or untreated face of the film. The blast of air issuing from slot 19 in nozzle 18strikes the film intermediate the ends of suction slots 13, preferably beyond the points where the sprocket hole pellicles are broken, and rolls or sweeps back the superficial liquid along the lower face of the film. As the capillary pellicles of liquid across the sprocket holes have al ready been broken the wave of surface liquid is not forced through-the sprocket holes butv rather flows around them, but any liquid which by chance enters the sprocket holes is prevented from flowing over the upper surface of the film by the suction through the slots 13. The blast of air .upon the lower side of the film combined with the suction above the sprocket holes eifectively clears the film of all superficial liquid.

In order to prevent the upper surface of the central portion of the film from rubbing against the block 4, the central portion of the block is recessed as shown at 24 in Figs.

the film serving to hold the film against the block 4.

I claim:

1. The method of treating a cinematographic film which comprises passing the 2. The method of coloring a cinematographic film having an absorptive coating on each side which comprises passing the film .over a body of coloring liquid with one side in contact therewith and as the film leaves said body with pellicles of the coloring liquid bridging the sprocket holes, breaking the pellicles before they burst and restraining the liquid of the broken pellicles from spattering on the other side, and at the same time removing the superficialliquid from said first side.

3. In the liquid treatment of cinemato- 'graphicfilms wherein capillary pellicles of liquid bridge the sprocket holes, the method which comprises artificially breaking the pellicles by suction before they burst.

4. The method of treating a cinematographic film having an absorptive coating on each side which comprises passing the film over a body of coloring liquid with one side in contact therewith and as the film leaves said body blowing the surface liquid from the treated side of the film and conjointly' suction through adjacent and restraining the liquid from reaching the untreated side.

6. In the liquid treatment ofcinematographic film upon one side only, the method which comprises advancing the film obliquely from the surface of the liquid and rolling the superficial liquid .backwardly toward said surface with a thin jet of air impinging u on the under, side of the film continuously a ong a line extending transversely across the space between the sprocket holes.

' 7. the liquid treatment of cinematographic film upon one side only, the method which comprises advancing the film from the surface of the liquid and rolling the superficialliquid backwardly toward said surface with a thin jetof air impinging upon the under side of the film continuously along -a line extending transversely across the space betwen the sprocket holes, and at the same time producing a suction through adjacent s rocket holes to restrain the liquid from reac 'ng the other side.

8. In the iquid 'treatment of cinematographic film upon one side only, the method which comprises advancing the film past a thin jet of air impinging u on the treated side of the film continuous y along a line extendin substantially across the portion of the m intermediate the sprocket holes and near the opposite ends of said jet drawing air through the sprocket holes to restrain the liquid from. contacting with the opposite side of thefilm. I

- 9. The method of removing superficial 'liquid from cinematographic films after ing the treate treatment upon one -si only which comprises breaking the capillary pellicles of iquid in the s rocket holes, and then clear-' side of the film of surface liquid.

10. The method of removing superficial liquid from cinematographic films after treatment upon one side only which comprises breaking the capillary pellicles of liquid in the sprocket holes by suction, and

then cleaning t etreated side of the film of surface liquid.

2 ll. The method of removing superficial liquid from cinematographic films after treatment upon one si Erises breaking the capillary pellicles of quid in the sprocket holes, and then blowing the surface liquid from the treated side of the film.

12. The method of removing superficial graphicliquid from cinemato aphic films after treatment upon one si e orfly which comrises breaking the capillary pellicles of iquid in the sprocket holes bysuction, and then blowing the surface liquid from the treated side of the film.

, .13. The method 0' treating cinematographic films after a liquid treatment which comprises clearing the sprocket holes of liquid by suction, and simultaneousl blowing against the op osite side of the 14. Apglaliatus only which com-' elongate ope or treating a cinemato p s s a pp a g on the opposite side of'the film, and means to guide the film between the nozzle and the openin 17v pparatus for removing liquid from the sproc et holes of a cinematogra hic film comprising means for guiding the a predetermined path, and a member having spaced suction openings disposed adjacent the path of the sprocket holes of the film.

18. Apparatus for removin superficial liquid from cinematographic s comprising guide means for the film, a blower for sweeping one side of the film clear of surface liquid, and means for removing liquid in the sprocket holes.

19. Cinematographic ap aratus for removing su erficial liquid om a film wet on one si e, comprisingv suction chambers disposed on one side of the filmin line with the s rocket holes therein for breaking the ca illiiry pellicles of liquid in the sprocket ho es, and a blower for subsequently rolling back thesurface liquid on the opposite side of the film.

20. Apparatus for removing superficial liquid from a film comprising means for directing a thin stream of air against the film alon' a line extending transversely across one ide of the film su row of sprocket holes to the other row and adjacent means having openinifiilconfined to themar inal rtions of the for drawing air 't roug the sprocket holes. 21. Apfigatusy for treating cinematographic comprisinga blower having an extending transversely across one side 0 the film intermediate the sprocket holes, and suction means having e in'gs extending along the ongate o sprocket ho es at each margin of the film.

Signed by meat Boston, Massachusetts, this 30th day of August 1921.

puma F. oous'rocir along tantially from one I 

